HCMC pilots outdoor exercise as another step to lift Covid restrictions

The new regulation was issued Monday and took effect immediately for those living in Tan Phu and Tan Phong wards of District 7, home to a large expat community.

In specific, for the ten-day period until Sept. 30, people in these two wards will be allowed to exercise in two parks (Canh Doi on N-Nam Street and the S area of Nam Vien Park), and five tennis courts.

The timeframe for outdoor exercises is regulated at 6-8 in the morning and 4-6 in the afternoon, while only those that have gotten two doses of Covid-19 vaccine or recovered from the virus within the past six months are permitted.

They must live in a green zone as showed in the city’s Covid-19 map bando.tphcm.gov.vn and register with ward authorities.

Everyone must wear face masks, keep a distance of two meters from one another while the number of people is limited at the scale of one person per 10 square meters.

If the trial phase goes smoothly, from Oct. 1 onwards, outdoor exercise and sports activities would be expanded to all 10 wards of District 7.

If the pandemic situation is put under control, indoor sports clubs, football fields, stadiums and all parks equipped with exercise equipment could resume operation.

In this period, those having one Covid-19 shot would be allowed while masks would be mandatory.

With a population of 300,000, District 7 is one of three districts to have basically put the Covid-19 outbreak under control aside from Cu Chi and Can Gio.

Ho Chi Minh City had begun easing Covid-19 restrictions from Sept. 15.

The epicenter of Vietnam’s fourth Covid-19 wave that emerged in late April, HCMC has gone through various levels of Covid-19 social distancing.

Since July 9, all people have been banned from going out of their homes except for "essential purposes". The rule will remain effect across the city until Sept. 30.